America Bay – Shield and Kangaroo

Summary: A giant kangaroo and mundoe (and nearby shield), probably of mythological importance

  • Site type: Rock engraving
  • Number of motifs: 3
  • Motif/s: Kangaroo, Mundoe (foot), Shield
  • Quality: 3/5
  • Condition of site: Good
  • View site sketch
  • Year first recorded: 1898
  • Originally Recorded by: W.D. Campbell, F.D. McCarthy
  • Campbell Reference: BROKEN BAY Plate 17 Fig 5 in Aboriginal Carving of Port Jackon and Broken Bay (Download)
  • McCarthy reference: BROKEN BAY Mankind Group 101 in Catalogue of Rock Engravings (1983)

On the opposite side of West Head Road to the America Bay track is a large kangaroo and shield, on adjacent rock platforms.

engraving plate xvii fig5 2 1 America Bay - Shield and Kangaroo

The kangaroo – which is over six metres in length – was recorded and described by Campbell as “a very fine figure of a kangaroo over eighteen feet long, with all four legs shown and open mouth.“

awat1057 lr America Bay - Shield and Kangaroo

Parts of the kangaroo are quite weathered and the area around his head is very rough, making it hard to identify the “open mouth”. Conversely, some of the detail in the kangaroo’s paws are very well preserved.

  • awat1155 lr America Bay - Shield and Kangaroo
  • awat0291 lr America Bay - Shield and Kangaroo
A shield, with many of its puncture marks still clearly visible, is engraved about 30m away on adjacent rock platform.
awat0987 lr America Bay - Shield and Kangaroo
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